San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-15

Heaven bless neg exclaimed the cap.
tain, when had tnld'my news. business
all stTalghtg'
A shrug was my only answer and Rt that
moment two ladies pissed MS; one was tho
Captains wife, little beauty I had known
years before the other
"who ever loved that loved not at first slghtT"
Well, do not quite mean that; but sure |
am that was looking ri the loyeiest figure
and, 10 me, the sweetest face / had ever
seen!
81 can't tell you how glad am to see you,
Mr.. Srelton," said Mrs. Hail. for I'm
chaperonihg two girls, and never leave them
for more than five minutes at time. III
fetch them up here while you and Mrs.
SomeTS renew your acquaintance. What
pleasant party we shall be nOwP
She hurried away, and. Of the two embar-
rassed people she left Mrs. Somers was the
first 20 recover self-pOssessiOn.
You did not recognize me, Mr. Stretton."
It'll now you have not spoken, and in
our one interview you gave me no chance 10
recognize anything but your voice"
She smiled, and in 50 doing showed two
white rows of teeth. Had / seen that smile
before, the many letters and the many
stamps wasted on the Vicar OF Clayton
would have been saved; would have staked
my existence upon her wisdom and virtue.
There was, after all, something OF the face
1 had imagined under the Grape veil. She
had hazel eyes and ripping hair TO match.
II the complexion lacked color, that was
atoned for by lips of the purest carmine.
The expression Of the face left nothing TO
be desired-at least in my eyes II was calm
nd al h,,t ,,rft
We seated ourselves in the corner indi-
Gated by Mrs. Hall, and Mrs. Somers drew
out her knitting an occupation found she
was rarely without 4 wedding-ring of I'M
usual thickness was the only ornament about
her, and on this my eyes were fixed till she
became aware Of my gaze; then the hazel
eyes challenged mine in not altogether
friendly fashion.
You altered you plans suddenly" she re-
marked.
Very" | responded shortly, for | had
NO mind to acquant her with the cause of
my sudden return; and, strange to say,
only saw the matter as it might affect Mrs.
Somers. II things were rs feared, Emily
could no more afford gOverness at a hun
dred and fifty pounds than she could keep
up her present establishment in other re-
spects.
Mr.. StTetton, you are repenting your Sc
lection" she said lightly.
Far from it," assured her adding, but,
frankly, you are a good deal younger than
supposed"
She smiled again, an amused, rather IRON
fcal smile.
Your requirements in that respect, as in
Others, were ncgatve-l was not to be over
thirty. opINipJaaI tIt a,
Did your sister understand how little exact
ing you would be when she iIitrIsted you
with such mission"
This time her smile was exasperating.
However much my experience amuses
YOU, ma,am, must ask leave to think that
have fulfilled my mission with the best"
~ will not tsY to shake even your faith in
your own penetration she interrupted
quite seriously.
She rose as Mrs. Hall and gentleman
came up to beg for some music. l did not
follow them, but stayed on deck to smoke,
and think OF my new acquaintance.
What would Emily say to me? had been
but few hours ~ board, and could already
vouch for the truth of the Captains state
ment ;the havoc Mrs. SOmrrs was making was
patent even to me. We had orr iull compile
ment of passengers, but very few ladies, and
these were neither pretty nor amusing. Mrs.
SOmers had it all her own way; and her
way seemed t. be to ignore a good deal Of
the attention IayishCd on her. She was'g gen
tie and digniGed, but kept as cIoseAtO the
Captains wife as a girl in her first season.
Me she honored with shy confidence OF
which l was very proud. When l found
how little she knew of the life to which she
was going, thought her faith in her own
penetration at least equaled mine. As the
days wore on, l wondered more and more
what manner Of man was he who, winning
such a woman for wife, had left so heart
whole widow. l had got into the habit OF
spending the greater part of tine day at her
side, for she was an intelligent talker, too
speculative to be pedantic, and a sympa-
thetc listener; for such a woman one could
have true passion or true friendship l
already enjoyed the one and ignored the
proximity OF the other for my prejudice
against widows remained in full force, and
was even strengthened by a conversation |
overheard between the Captains wife and
Mrs. SOmers
What is any second husband but a pit
dlleTT' said the last-named lady, in the
light energetic tone knew 50 well.
81 am sorry to hear that you and Mr..
StrettOn agree on that matter" responded
the other; but perhaps. his prejudice
against widows is dying OUT
II can't say; l did not know that he had
one"
'Prejudicep went on Mrs. Hall II may
call is a liked idea He once told me no
amount Of love could deIude him into marry
ing woman who but for an accident would
be living with some one else"
Mrs. Somers broke into one of her rare
laughs
He must marry a French girl, zone to
whom he may teach everything; for some
men the blank page has great charms"
Not for him." Mrs Hall declared. Fancy
a man who talks SO much and so well shut
up with an tngenue"
"Well," said Mrs. Somers, ''the tngeRtts
would soon learn to receive her husbands
Trades with This is the Catholic faith,
which except man believe faithfully, he
cannot be saved AS it is, always expect
Mr.. Stretton to conclude his own remarks
with that formula"
IL X Csatin4s,t.